British Industrial History

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1905 Opened large factory at Alexandria and retained the old Bridgton premises as a repair and service depot under A. Morris Thomson.

The Alexandria factory was never used to capacity, and the company began to decline after Alex Govan's death in 1907 and then went into liquidation in 1908.

1909 January 19th. New company registered as Argylls Ltd with Thomas Dence (CHairman) and John Smart Matthew as Managing Director

1910 Production restarted with a new range of cars including the famed "Flying Fifteen", and a six-cylinder model. The 12/14 was widely sold as a taxi even being exported to New York. Four-wheel brakes designed by J. M. Rubury of Argyll and patented on 18th March 1910 by Henri Perrot and John Meredith Rubury (Patent number 6807) were available from 1911 on.

1913 April. Advert for the 'twelve-eighteen hp with four wheel braking system'. [7]

1914 R. W. Blackwell is Chairman

1914 Argyll changed hands and the Alexandria factory was sold to the Royal Navy for torpedo production.

Car production was resumed on a small scale in the original Bridgeton works under the control of John Brimlow who had previously run the repair department. The first product from the new company was a revival of the pre-war 15·9 hp model, now with electric starter but few were sold.